Hoisting-machine



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W.IH. LOTZ. Hoisting Machine.

I Patentet}, ov. 23, 1880.

N FEFERS. F

(No Model.)

W. H. LOTZ.

I Hoisting Machine. N0. 234,714.

NJETERS. PHDTQ-LWHQGRAPMER. WASHINGTON. D C.

2 Sheets-Shem; 2.

Patented Nov. 23, 1880. v

UNTTEE STATES PATENT OEET E.

WILLIAM H. LOTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HOISTING-IMAGHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,714, dated November 23, 1880.

Application filed February 20, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Lo'rz, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hoisting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic hoistingmachines of that class especially intended for emptying grain-cars and clearing malt-floors by means of shovels or scoops.

Heretofore such machines have been constructed to couple and uncouple the hoisting.

drum sleeved on the driving-shaft with and from such shaft by means of a toothed clutch splined on the shaft and a bell-crank lever attached bya chain to a drum, which is connected to and turns with the hoisting-drum; but such machines are objectionable, principally, for the following reasons They require frequent and expensive repairs, made necessary by the wearing of the teeth of the clutches, and by the wearing of the sleeve-bearings of the drum and of the shaft where it runs in them. There being no chance to apply an oil-cup, it is impossible to keep the bearings lubricated without frequent attention and a great waste of oil. The great resistance of the clutch-teeth to uncouple, the dist-an ce the chain has to swing the long arm of the bell-crank lever, and the suddenness with which the power is applied to the chain producea quick jerk and an intense strain upon such chain, sufficient often to cause one of the links to part. The result of this breakage is, that the drum cannot be stopped until the hoisting-rope has been snapped apart by the scoop or its connections being pulled against and resisted by the guide-sheaves, and the breaking down in this way of a single machine delays the whole train of cars until that single car can be emptied; and the scoop being started with a jerk causes a strain upon the operator, in addition to that upon all the parts of the machine.

It is the object, therefore, of my invention to produce an automatic machine for this purpose which will be smooth in its act-i011 and safe and certain in its operation, will not wear the driving-shaft or have any moving parts that wear constantly, whether the machine is in use or not, as in the machines heretofore, can bekept lubricated easily and economically, and can be run a great length of time without breaking down or needing expensive repairs. This I accomplish by mounting the hoisting-drum on a separate shaft independent of the drivingshaft and providing means for automatically moving the drum into and out of frictional contact with wheels on the driving-shaft; and my invention consists in the various combinations of the operative parts, as fully hereinafter explained, and pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is an elevation of one end of the machine, the driving-shaft and beltdrum being in cross-section and the hoistingdrnm being shown as raised off of the frictionwheels of the driving-shaft; Fig. 2, a similar view with the hoisting-drum dropped upon the friction-wheels of the driving-shaft, the weight for starting the machine being shown; Fig. 3, a cross-section through one of the friction-wheels of the driving-shaft and one of the friction-surfaces of the drum, the same being out of contact; Fig. 4, a side elevation of one end of the machine, showing the bifurcated lever and its connections; Fig. 5, a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the machine, and Fig. 6 a plan view of the machine.

Like letters denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is the driving-shaft or line-shafting upon which thehoisting-machines aremounted,turning in boxes supported by the frame-work B. By the preferred construction of my machine this shaft is provided for each machine with two paper friction-wheels, C C, each made in the usual manner, the paper being clamped between the metal flanges of the wheels and turned down to the proper form and size.

Over the friction-wheels on the frame-work is mounted a swinging metal frame, D, secured on one side to the frame-work by a pivoting bolt, D, which permits the framejto be swung upwardly. In boxes in this swinging frame is journaled a short shaft, E,extending at each end beyond the frame. On this shaft E, within theframe,is keyed the hoisting-drum F, having flanges a turning between the paper frictionwheels, above which flan ges a rope-guard, I), extends from the swinging frame. Outside of the flanges a the drum has smooth end extensions,

F F forming friction drums or wheels, which engage with the paper friction-wheels. Upon the drum F, between the flanges a, is wound the hoistrope G. extending downwardly under a sheave, and then between other guidesheaves to the scoop or shovel to be operated by the machine.

On one end of the short shaft E is keyed the belt-drum H, which is considerably smaller than the hoistingdrum, and is connected by a leather belt, H, with a bolt, 0, passed through the bifurcated upper end of the lever I. The belt H is wound upon its drum in the same direction as the hoist-rope is wound upon the hoisting-drum. The lever l is keyed near its lower end to the end of a shaft, I, which passes through the side of the swinging frame opposite and parallel to its pivoting-bolt D. Below the shaft I the lever is shaped to form a cam, K, which rests upon an anti-friction roller, d, mounted upon the frame-work. The other end of the shaft Ihaskeyed to it a cam, K, shaped like the cam K, and also resting on an anti-friction roller, d.

By swinging the lever Ithe cams K K will raise and lower the frame D and move the friction'drums F F out of and into contact with the paper friction-wheels.

Pivoted to the swinging frame D is a latch, L, having an opening, 0, in its outer end, provided with an angular shoulder, a, and inclosing the long square head 0 of the bolt 0, which passes through the bifurcated end of the lover I. The opening 6 limits the movement of both the latch and the lever, while the shoulder 6 holds the lever at the inner end of its swin On the inner end of the latch L is a pivoted pawl, L, which is free to swing upwardly independent of the latch, but rests downwardly upon a shoulder, so that it cannot be moved downwardly without swinging the latch. The inner flange of the belt-wheel has bolted to it teeth M, which, in the revolution of the shaft E, strike the pawl L.

On the end of the shaft E opposite to the belt-wheel is keyed a small rope-drum, N, connected by a rope, N, with a weight, N which is heavy enough to turn the shaft E when the hoisting-drum is out of contact with the paper friction-wheels. The rope N is wound upon its drum in the opposite direction to the hoist rope, so that the unwinding of the hoistrope will wind up the rope N and raise the weight N The belt H is made of such length that when the scoop reaches the door of the car the belt will be drawn taut and will swing the lever I inwardly and raise the drum from the paper friction-wheels. in which position the parts will be locked by the shoulder a of the latch catching over the bolt-head 0. Now the scoop is drawn back by the operator any desired distance, which unwinds the hoist-rope and the belt and raises the weight N", the teeth M passing the pawl L upwardly without affecting the latch. The operator then pushes the scoop into the grain with a forward movement. This forward movement slackens the hoist-rope and allows the weight N to reverse the revolution of the hoistingdrum shaft. The first tooth, M, that strikes the pawl L in its downward movement depresses the inner end of the latch and raises its outer end, which releases the lever I and allows the frame D to drop down by the weight of the parts, bringing the frictionsurfaces F I into contact with the paper friction-wheels, by which the hoistingdrum is revolved and the hoist-rope wound upon the same. The scoop is drawn forward by the power till it reaches the car-door, when the swinging frame is again raised and the revolution of the hoistdrum stopped. The greater the strain is upon the hoist-rope the greater will be the friction on the paper wheels. The scoop is again drawn back by the workman and the operation repeated till the car is emptied, the scoop being taken to any part of the car and any desired point.

The bearings of the shaft E from stationary boxes.

The distance the frame has to he raised is so short that the strain upon the belt H is not very great. I prefer to use a belt instead of a chain, for the reason that the belt is somewhat elastic aud will. yield so as not to jerk the lever. It also works without noise, and is easier to replace or adjust than a chain; but a chain or rope can be employed in place of this belt, and I do not wish to be limited to its use.

I can dispense with the extra weight-drum N by winding the rope N on the hoist-drum from the opposite side and in the opposite di rection to the hoist-rope, the unwinding of one rope making room for the winding up of the other.

Although I prefer to use cams for raising the swinging frame and disengaging the hoisting-drum from the friction-wheels, yet I do not wish to be limited to that particular device, since in some instances I may find it of advantage to employ eccentrics, toggle-joints, screws, or sliding wedges for accomplishing that result. I may attach to these cams or eccentrics or bring into connection with the toggle-joints, screws, or sliding wedges a segmental gear-wheel operated by a pinion or worm on the hoist-drum shaft in such a mannor that after said segmental wheel has been rotated to a certain point the devices will commence to lift the swinging frame. A sliding frame can be used in place of the swinging frame, and other devices can be substituted for the latch and pawl and the toothed wheel for locking and disengaging the lever.

It is evident that the particular devices for producing the motions of my machine could be considerably altered by any skillful mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my machine are lubricated starteditt and explained some of its advantages, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic hoisting-machine, substantially as described, the hoistingdrum mounted on an independent shaft and driven by friction-wheels on the driving-shaft.

2. In an automatic hoisting-machine, substantially as described, the combination, with the driving-shaft having friction-wheels, of a swinging frame above such driving-shaft and the hoisting-drum mounted in such swinging frame and driven by the friction-wheels on the driving-shaft.

3. In a hoisting-machine for the purpose set forth, the combination, with the drivingshaft, of a swinging frame above the drivingshaft, the hoisting drum mounted in such frame and having frictional connection with the driving-shaft, a belt-drum on the hoistingdrum shaft, and devices connected with said belt-drum, whereby the turning of the belt- (lrum will raise the swinging frame when a certain length of rope is Wound up on the hoisting-drum, substantially as described.

4. In a hoisting-machine for the purpose set forth, the combination, with the drivingshaft, of a swinging frame above the same, the hoistdrum carried by such frame, a beltdrum connected with devices for raising the frame, a latch for locking such lifting devices, teeth for throwing the latch, and a weight for turning such teeth when the hoist-rope is slackcned, substantially as described and shown.

WILLIAM H. LOTZ.

Witnesses RIOHD. N. DYER, EMIL H. FROMMANN. 

